A radio communication system is capable of providing radio services such as voice and data. For example, in an LTE (Long Term Evolution, Long Term Evolution) and/or LTE-A (LTE-Advanced, Advanced Long Term Evolution) heterogeneous network, in order to satisfy performance requirements of LTE and/or LTE-A or to improve performance of LTE and/or LTE-A, base stations (for example, low-transmit-power base stations or transmit/receive nodes) of different types or different formats are deployed in a homogeneous network (homogeneous network) to enhance network coverage and performance, where such a network structure is referred to as a heterogeneous network (Heterogeneous network). For example, a low-transmit-power base station (lower power node, LPN) such as a micro base station (for example, a Pico base station) and a home base station (HeNB) may be deployed within a coverage range of a high-transmit-power Macro eNB (macro base station). In an LTE heterogeneous network, the LPN generally is used to enhance network coverage and performance. Therefore, the LPN should share load of the network as much as possible (offload). That is, a UE should be handed over to an LPN cell to be served as much as possible.
However, the UE cannot distinguish a cell of the macro base station (macro cell) from some LPN cells (for example, Pico cells), or cannot identify all LPN cells. In a case where the UE cannot distinguish or identify the LPN cell and the macro cell, the UE cannot timely perform measurement on the LPN cell, and therefore cannot be timely handed over to the LPN cell to be served.